


Fractured Hearts

by Stuckinafictionalworld



Category: Riverdale - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Multi, Slow Burn, mature content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2019-10-30 02:36:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17820185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stuckinafictionalworld/pseuds/Stuckinafictionalworld
Summary: One of the Serpents, raised a hand and signalled at them, “Can we get a little service over here?”Veronica sighed, “Wanna handle this, Betty?”Betty shook her head, “I’m good.”Veronica laughed, “You always avoid them, what are you so afraid of?” Betty looked back down at the counter and started to aimlessly rearrange the condiments. With a roll of her eyes, Veronica grabbed a notepad and walked over to their table.ORBetty Cooper and Jughead Jones were from two completely different sides of town. Never meant to meet.All it takes is one thing, one place to bring them together. So with separate paths and fractured hearts, they struggle to maintain an unintentional bond.





	1. Nothing But Trouble

She had seen him before.

He was quiet, rarely spoke. But she’d never forget how handsome he is. If she was being honest with herself, it made her nervous.

He had come here many, many times. Most of the time he was with his group of friends. Sometimes he’d be alone, but he frequently visited. She would always watch from behind the short diner counter. She didn’t know much about him, not even his name. 

“You know,” Veronica said, startling her slightly. “I don’t understand why they always come here, isn’t it Serpent law to stay on the southside?”

Veronica has a point. The man and his friends were part of a southside gang known as The Southside Serpents, indicated by the branded leather jackets they wore. Pop’s was a small diner located on the northside of Riverdale, where she and Veronica worked. “They’re allowed on the northside, V,” she replied. Veronica shrugged, “It’s just strange.”

One of the Serpents, raised a hand and signalled at them, “Can we get a little service over here?”

Veronica sighed, “Wanna handle this, Betty?” 

Betty shook her head, “I’m good.” 

Veronica laughed, “You always avoid them, what are you so afraid of?” Betty looked back down at the counter and started to aimlessly rearrange the condiments. With a roll of her eyes, Veronica grabbed a notepad and walked over to their table.

 

Jughead watched the brunette girl, who he’s come to know as Veronica, walk over to their table. She smiled brightly at them and said, “What can I get for you today?”

Sweet Pea, who was seated across from Jughead, gave her a small smile, “A burger with fries and a rootbeer float.” Veronica nodded and began to scribble down his order. Sweet Pea looked across the table at Fangs, who was sitting beside Jughead. “You want your own? I’m willing to share today.” Fangs swatted his hand, “Nah, I’m not that hungry.”

Veronica looked at Toni, who was beside Sweet Pea, and threw her another one of her evidently disingenuous smiles, “And for you?” Toni order herself some onion rings. Veronica turned to Jughead and he mumbled, “Usual.” Veronica and wrote down his usual order of a burger, fries and a coffee. With all their orders taken, she walked off to the back, handing the orders to the cooks.

Jughead’s gaze followed after the brunette and landed on a blonde behind the counter, by the cash. He had seen her at Pop’s a few times during his trips. She had never served him though, Veronica had always been their waitress. She seemed quiet and shy, rarely leaving the cash unless she was cleaning tables or sweeping floors.

“Jug?” 

He looked up at Sweet Pea. “Most of the Serpents are going out on an assignment tonight, the bar will be empty,” he explained, “What do you say we see if Hog Eye will let us hang around and maybe invite some friends?” Jughead nodded slightly, “Yea, that…” Jughead’s gaze fell back on the blonde, “...that sounds good.” 

Sweet Pea nodded, knowing Jughead’s agreement was half-hearted but taking it nonetheless.

Jughead already knew most of the gang would be out tonight, likely doing something on the opposite side of the law. Jughead’s father, Fp Jones, was the leader of the Southside Serpents. His father had told him very little about the so called assignments Serpents engage in. From what he’s been told, Serpents are involved in less than honorary vehicle and motorcycle parts exchanges. In other words, they sold these parts to people who weren’t exactly model citizens.

After about an hour or two of eating and talking, Sweet Pea announced that it was time to head to the bar. Jughead pulled out a few bills, dropping them on their table and followed his friends out the door.

 

Veronica frowned as she watched them leave. Betty laughed, “Sad to see them go? I thought they were criminal thugs and not to be intertwined with.” Veronica rolled her eyes, jumping down from the stool she was sitting on. “They are. But some of them are quite attractive.” 

Betty snorted, “So?”

“So,” Veronica continued, “A certain red-haired Serpent wasn’t with them tonight.”

Betty chuckled to herself at that. Veronica had recently taken notice of a red-haired Serpent, who they’ve come to know as Archie. Archie’s father was born and raised on the northside, and so was Archie. However, Archie had chosen to join the Serpents against his father’s wishes. He didn’t share much more than that, but he seemed to have an attraction to Veronica and often visited Pop’s during her shifts to come by and usually flirt a little. As much as Veronica disliked the Serpents, like most northsiders, she was quite fond of this one.

Archie usually came to Pop’s with Jughead. But around the time that Veronica and Archie had started to bond, he began to slowly become absent in Jughead’s visits. Veronica noticed this and brought it up with Betty who had no further speculation on the matter. Whatever the reason, they chose to stay out of it.

“Why don’t you just go visit him?” Betty asked.

Veronica immediately shook her head, “No northsider goes to the southside unless they have a death wish, you know that. Besides, Archie wants to keep this whole thing under wraps.” Betty couldn’t help but notice the way her friends face fell at the statement. Veronica’s always present confidence dimed.

“V,” Betty placed a hand on Veronica’s shoulder, “He’s not embarrassed by you, how could he? You’re amazing and drop-dead gorgeous.” Veronica smiled at her friends words. She sniffled a little and nodded, “I know, I just can’t help feeling like there’s something he’s not telling me, or something I’m missing about all this. I mean, why else would he want to keep it a secret?”

Betty didn’t know what to say. Once again, Veronica had a point. Southsiders, especially Serpents, were feared by northsiders. They were known as dangerous, criminals who were nothing but trouble. They never worried about the opinions of others because no one would ever dare to disagree with them. 

Betty simply shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know, V. But maybe you’re right, maybe there’s more to the story than he’s letting on? Have you asked him about it?”

Veronica shook her head, “I’ve been too scared that he’ll get upset.”

Betty frowned, “Defensive, maybe. But he won’t be upset with you. Just try to approach the subject and see how he takes it.” Veronica nodded, “I guess it’s worth a shot.” Betty smiled and clapped her hands together, her perfect ponytail swinging as a result. 

Veronica sighed and chuckled, “Those Serpents...I’m telling you, they’re nothing but trouble.”


	2. Apologies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna say thank you for all the lovely comments that people left me! They’re so encouraging and I’m so grateful :)  
> Also, I may post on tumblr some updates on my writing during this. Maybe even some sneak peeks. So please feel free to check out my tumblr @mustfangirl  
> Thank you so much!

“If we get arrested, it’s your fault.”

Jughead rolled his eyes, “It’s fine, Pea. Don’t worry.” Sweet Pea sighed as they waited for Jughead to pick the lock of the small convenience store. Fangs, Toni, Cheryl and Archie stood behind him, waiting.

Tired of seeing his friend embarrass himself while standing in the slightly chilly air, Archie let out a huff. “Let me try,” he said as he pushed past Toni and held his hand out to Jughead. Not wanting to admit defeat, Jughead kept on trying.

“Jug,” Fangs said. “Let him give it a go.”

Jughead stood and handed the paperclip. Archie closed his hand around it and crouched down in front of the door.

“Why did you decide to break into a convenience store without bringing the necessary supplies?” Cheryl asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“This was more of a last minute decision,” Jughead said, not making eye contact. “The bastard who owns this place took my pocket knife from me when I was here this morning. I intend to steal it back.”

“So you went with a paperclip?” Toni asked with a smirk.

He looked up at her with a glare. Choosing not to further embarrass himself, he said nothing. A few seconds later, the door popped open. Archie let out a gasp of victory. 

“Damn, Arch,” Fangs said, “Where’d you learn to do that?”

Archie shrugged, “One of my close friends has a friend that knows pretty much everything there is about picking locks. Although, they prefer to use hair pins.” Sweet Pea smirks, “You gotta introduce us to these friends of yours, they could really help us out.” Archie chuckled, “Well, they don’t really travel out of their area.”

Forgetting all about Archie’s friends, they all head inside the store. Fangs ran to the back, behind the cash and flipped a switch which illuminated the store. “Alright,” Jughead said, “Look begins the cash, Archie and I will look in the back for an office desk or something.” Everyone nodded and began to search.

Archie followed Jughead through back doors that lead to an extremely small office room. There was a desk, a chair and one skinny filing cabinet. There wasn’t room for much else. They both began to swiftly move around the room, searching. 

“Jug?” Archie called out to him.

Jughead’s head snapped up, “You find it?” Archie gulped and looked down at the drawer he had open in front of him, “Uh, no. I just...I was wondering if you’d, um...I wanna talk to you about something and it’s just…not exactly an easy topic.” Jughead sighed and straightened himself, “Listen, Arch, whatever it is, of course I’ll talk to you about it. When we’re home. Right now isn’t exactly a good time.” Their current mission hit Archie like a ton of bricks. He had been thinking so much about Veronica and Betty and the comments Sweet Pea made about meeting them, and just blurted it out to Jughead. He nodded quickly, “Um, yeah, my bad. Let’s find this thing.” Jughead nodded and resumed his search.

Archie and Veronica had been secretly hanging out together for 3 weeks now. It’s not that Archie was ashamed of Veronica. Hell, if anything he was proud to be with her. She was beautiful, caring and downright sassy. Although they haven’t officially clarified whether they were dating or not, Archie felt like they were pretty close to it. Archie had asked Veronica to keep things between them a secret for two very important reasons. One being that he wanted to protect Veronica, and her reputation. Archie knew from experience just how much northsiders hated southsiders and just how angry they got when one of their own associates with the southside. He worried about how poorly people would treat her if they knew about him. Secondly, he didn’t want Jughead finding out from anyone or anywhere but himself.

Archie and Jughead have been best friends since they were in grade 1. Jughead was born and raised on the southside while Archie was born and raised on the northside. Their parents happened to be friends, which was rare in Riverdale, which ultimately led to their friendship. Unfortunately, right around the time when they were in grade 6, their parents had a falling out -one that was never explained to them- and rarely saw each other after that. It wasn’t until Archie chose to leave home and join the Serpents that they really got to see a lot of each other. In fact, Archie lives in a trailer right next to Jughead’s, in Sunnyside Trailer Park. Jughead had always been there for Archie, through thick and thin. Archie feared how Jughead was going to react when he found out that Archie was starting to fall for a northside beauty. So Archie chose that until he was ready to discuss the matter with Jughead, it was to stay a secret. All of which he failed to mention to Veronica.

The problem now was that Archie found himself wanting to openly be with Veronica. Take her out on dates that weren’t after hours at Pop’s where no one was allowed to enter. This forced that conversation with Jughead to the surface. Sweet Pea’s earlier comment had reminded him of that. So here he was, mentally slapping his forehead for just blurting out randomness to Jughead. 

“I found it!” Toni’s excites voice rang throughout the store.

Jughead and Archie immediately raced back to the store front. Toni stood behind the cash, proudly displaying a pocket knife in her hands. Jughead had no doubt it was his. He walked over to her, taking it from her hands. 

“Great job, Toni!” He praised. “Now let’s get out of here!”

Everyone followed as they exited the store. “Wait!” Sweet Pea shouted, causing everyone to whirl around. He smirked as he looked around the store, “I say we get a little...consolation for the trouble this store owner caused.”

Toni and Cheryl shared a look that showed they were in agreement with Sweet Pea. Everyone looked to Jughead, silently asking for approval.

Jughead nodded, “I agree.” 

Then they all spread throughout the small convenience store and began to grab a few snacks. Once everyone was satisfied, they headed home, which for them was the Whyte Wyrm. The Whyte Wyrm was a bar located on the southside of Riverdale. It was owned by Hog Eye, a Southside Serpent. He bought it for the Serpents so they’d have a hangout, a home. Most Serpents lived in trailers or small homes on the southside, but the Whyte Wyrm was their true home.

The group of young Serpents walked into the Whyte Wyrm laughing and cheering, hands full of junk food. They dropped their haul on one of the tables in the bar and began to dig through their goods. 

“Boy!”

Their laughs died quickly at the sound of Jughead’s father. Jughead sighed and turned around, facing his father. His father stood with two of his close Serpent friends, Tall Boy and Mustang. They were both older Serpents who have been around almost as long as Jughead’s dad.

“Where’d all this come from?” He asked, gesturing towards their haul.

Jughead shrugged, “We’re just having a little fun.”

Jughead’s father didn’t say anything, just let his gaze fall over the young Serpents. After a few minutes he spoke, “We’re going on an assignment. I expect you to hold down the fort while we’re gone. If you see trouble, you inform us immediately and take necessary action.” Jughead gave his dad a simple nod.

“Fp,” Tall Boy said, “We gotta get going.”

Fp nodded and looked back at Jughead, “Show me I didn’t make a mistake letting you take the position you hold so dear.” Jughead watched as he father left the bar, Tall Boy and Mustang not far behind. 

“Maybe we should head to Pop’s later,” Toni suggested. “Maybe we can poke at that waitress again.” Cheryl laughed, “Northside princess. I’m in.”

Archie shrugged, “You heard Fp, we’re in charge of taking care of things around here until they get back. Plus, who even knows if Veronica is working today?” Archie pretended not to notice the strange looks his friends were giving him upon hearing him call Veronica by her name. He also knew very well that Veronica was working tonight. 

Sweet Pea chuckled, “Byrdie and Hog Eye will be here. It will be fine.”

Fangs nodded, “As much as I love eating Hog Eye’s grilled cheese sandwiches, I would love some delicious goods from Pop’s.”

Archie knew that their mind was made up. They were going. He sighed and didn’t press the issue. He’d have to deal with the situation head on.

“Don’t you know Archie,” Jughead said with a smile. “While the cat's away, the mice come out to play.”

 

Sweet Pea offered to drive, since he was the only one in the group that has their own car. Sweet Pea has been interested in cars since a very young age. He had saved up and scavenged until he was able to buy a used 1960 Aston Martin DB4. It was quite damaged, but Sweet Pea spent a lot of time and money fixing it up. It was a beauty now.

Sweet Pea’s car was finished a little while before he was able to drive. So he took very good care of it until it was time for him to drive it. Once he was able to drive, he drove that car everywhere. Which is why Sweet Pea usually drives them around. He had earned it.

Jughead, Sweet Pea, Cheryl, Toni and Archie all climbed in and they sped off. Jughead and Sweet Pea sat in the front while the rest of the gang squished in the back. 

As they drove, Jughead suddenly felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. He pulled it out and his brows furrowed in confusion, “It’s my dad,” he announced. Everyone fell silent.

“Hello?” Jughead said. He was surprised to hear Tall Boy’s voice instead of his dads, “Jughead? It’s me, Tall Boy. We were out on one of our runs and the cops showed up. We think the Ghoulies called them.”

The Ghoulies. A vicious, good-for-nothing gang that lives on the southside among the Serpents. They were one of the Serpents’ biggest enemies.

“Is everyone ok?” Jughead asked. Tall Boy sighed, “Your dad and a couple other Serpents are in the slammer, but only under a suspicion. They have no proof, no evidence, they’ll be out in about 48 hours or so. Promise.”

Jughead sighed, “Alright. Alright. Stay with them, keep me posted.” Tall Boy assures him and they hung up.

“They’re behind bars for the night,” Jughead explained. Everyone remained quiet, not daring to ask questions. The rest of the drive was silent.

 

Betty grabbed the damp cloth from the counter and began to wipe down tables. Betty was on her own tonight. Veronica was busy, she said there was a family issue that she needed to solve.

Betty knew very little about Veronica’s dad and the business he’s apart of. All she really knew was that it may or may not be exactly safe. So when Veronica had said she needed to handle things, she obliged.

The day had been somewhat busy, but mostly calm. Betty was thankful for this because she didn’t handle very many social situations as well as she’d like to. Betty was almost done wiping down the tables, which was the last thing she needed to do today, when she spotted a familiar car pull up.

She watched as a group of Serpents jumped out the car. She instantly recognized dark hair, blue eyed boy. He had a grey crown beanie sitting on his head. It was hard not to notice it, and she suddenly realized that she hadn’t seen him without it on. Not once.

She watched as they piled in, and that’s when a cold panic swept through her as she realized, she was the only waitress working tonight.

“Hey, Pop,” she called out to Pop Tate, the owner of Pop’s. “Should we close up early today?”

Pop poked his head out from the small opening in the wall that connected the kitchen to the front of the diner. He glanced over the diner and replied, “We got some customers, not yet.” Betty sighed and nodded.

Knowing there was no way she was getting out of this, she grabbed a notepad and began to walk over to the table. As she reached the table, one of the serpents stood and accidentally knocked into her, sending her tumbling to the floor. 

“Ow!” She yelled. She looked up to see the beanie wearing boy standing across from her. He had knocked her down. With a huff, she grabbed her notepad. 

Suddenly, there was a hand in front of her. She followed the arm and was faced with a red-headed girl who was smiling. Confused, Betty stayed where she was.

“Let me help you,” the red-headed girl said, pushing her hand closer to Betty.

Betty took her hand and with the girls help, she was lifted to her feet. She smiled at the girl, “Thank you.” The girl shrugged, “No problem.”

There was something familiar about this girl, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Betty looked to the boy with the crown beanie. He glanced up at her and mumbled, “You should watch where you’re going!”

Betty scuffed, “Y’know...that’s not what an apology sounds like.”

To her surprise, the boy replied, “Bite me.”

Without saying another word, he stomped off to the bathroom. Betty couldn’t believe how rude he was. Veronica talked a whole lot about how they’re not as mean as people make them out to be. Betty wasn’t so sure about that right now.

“Don’t mind him,” a pink haired girl said. Betty nodded and nervously looked down at her notepad.

“Um..uh, what can I get you guys?” She said, still quite nervous.

“I’ll have just a burger and some fries,” one of the boys said. “And Fangs will have the same,” he said, gesturing to the boy sitting beside him. Fangs nodded his confirmation.

“Sweet Pea, why don’t you go check on Jughead?” the pink haired girl asked the boy. So, that was his name, Betty thought to herself.

“Finish ordering for us?” Sweet Pea asked Toni as he got up from the booth with a sigh.

Betty took the rest of their order and handed it off to Pop. She sat behind the register and watched them intensely as she waited for the food to be ready. Then suddenly, she noticed Sweet Pea and Jughead leaving the bathroom and returning to the table.

As they walked by, Sweet Pea stopped by the register where Betty was. Jughead averted his eyes anywhere except on her. “There’s um...a little bit of a mess in the men’s room,” Sweet Pea told her, “Apologies in advance.”

Betty nodded and he headed back to the table, dragging Jughead with him. As if on cue, the small bell rang, meaning the food was ready. Betty swiftly ran to the little kitchen window and grabbed the food. She gently placed the food down at their table, not saying a word and keep her eyes off Jughead. For a reason she could not determine, she found it hard to make eye contact with him. After saying a quiet and quick ‘thank you’ she headed back behind the counter.

She grabbed the mop, broom and a garbage bag. With a sigh, she headed to the men’s room. She pushed open the door and gasped. The door was destroyed. Toilet paper was scattered all over the floor, water was splashed all over the mirrors and the garbage bin was knocked over.

What the hell happened here?!

With a huff, Betty began to tidy up the toilet paper. There was a knock at the door and then Pop stuck his head in, “Betty, our last customers just left.” He looked around the room and sighed, “I appreciate you cleaning this up, really. I’ll close up shop for customers.” Betty nodded and he left.

She continued for a few minutes, cleaning up the mess. Once again, there was a knock on the door. “I can finish up here, Pop. I can close up, you go home.” There was no reply. She turned around and was surprised to see Jughead standing at the doorway. She sighed and stood up off the floor, turning to him.

“Hi,” she said, tying up a garbage bag.

Jughead sighed and rubbed his hands together nervously, “I’m really sorry.”

Betty scoffed, “Now that is what an apology sounds like.”

Jughead stayed quiet, but Betty didn’t miss the small, barely there smile that appeared on his lips. She smiled and said, “Don’t worry about it, I’ve had to clean up worse. I appreciate it though.”

Jughead shifted from one foot to the other and finally looked up to meet her eyes, “I don’t usually act out like this, I honestly don’t have a good excuse for this….I want to help.”

Betty shook her head, “Like I said, don’t worry about it. Go home.”

He glanced at the bathroom door and then looked back at her, “My friends went home. I’m staying to help clean up.”

“You really don’t-“

“Please,” he interrupted her, “Let me.”

She didn’t know why, but she felt like she couldn’t argue with him any further. So she gave him a simple nod and handed him the broom, “You did a number on that garbage bin.”

He chuckled and grabbed it from her, “Serpents are taught to pack a good punch.”

They continued to clean up in silence. Not much else was said between the two. Before they knew it, they were finished. Betty sighed and turned to Jughead, “I’m going to go check on Pop, thanks for helping out.”

He shrugged and followed her out of the bathroom. They walked into the main part of the diner to see Pop wiping down the table the Serpents were previously seated at. Pop turned and glared at Jughead.

Betty awkwardly pushed it aside and looked at Pop, “l can close up, if you’d like.”

Pop shook his head, “That’s very kind of you Betty, but it’s no need. I can handle it.” She nodded, “See you tomorrow then?” He nodded at her.

Then he turned his attention to Jughead, “And you as well. Do not be late, Mr. Jones.”

Betty looked over at Jughead in surprise. She was very confused. Jughead simply nodded and began to leave. Betty said goodbye to Pop and quickly followed him out. She had to skip down the small steps to catch up to him, but successfully managed to be one step behind him.

“So you trashed the bathroom and then got a job?” She asked with a slight sarcastic laugh. 

Jughead spun around so fast, she nearly bumped into him. He rolled his eyes, “I offered to help clean up but that wasn’t good enough, so for the next three weeks I’ll be volunteering at Pop’s to compensate for the mess I caused.”

Betty froze, truly not knowing what to say. “So, no, this is not a job,” he continued, “it’s a punishment.”

“Oh,” was all Betty could get out.

“So you have yourself a goodnight, Ms….” he trailed off.

“Cooper,” she filled him in, “Betty Cooper.”

He nodded, “Goodnight, Betty.”

And with that, he disappeared into the night.


	3. To Coexist

Betty’s heart jumped at the sound of her alarm, waking her up instantly. With a sigh, she rolled over and turned it off. She got out of bed and began her usual morning routine: shower, get dressed, pack bag, eat breakfast.

She quickly slipped on a pair of jeans, a pink sweater and rushed downstairs. Her mother and father were sitting at the table, drinking coffee.

“Good morning!” she called out as she scanned the cupboards for cereal.

“Morning, Elizabeth,” her mother replied. Betty didn’t need to see her mother’s face to know just how angry she was. Betty sighed and grabbed a box of fruity munch.

“I’m sorry I came home late last night, there was an unexpected accident at work and I needed to help clean up,” Betty explained, already knowing why her mother was upset.

“I don’t care about your excuses,” she said, unfolding a copy of the local Newspaper. “It doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t call and didn’t even bother to explain when you got home.”

Betty gulped, “I, um, assumed you were asleep when I got home. It’s my fault, I’m sorry.”

Her mother said nothing, just continued to read the paper. After several moments, “I suggest you hurry and get to school, you don’t want to be late.” Betty nodded and speedily packed lunch and grabbed breakfast, which she ended up choosing as an apple and water bottle. Then, as fast as she could, she began her walk to school. 

 

“B!” Veronica called out, causing Betty to turn around in the hallway.

Veronica smiled as she walked over to Betty, “I just heard from Archie that there was some kind of show at Pop’s last night, with Jughead.”

Betty shrugged, “Yea, I don’t really know a lot about what happened.” Veronica nodded, “According to Archie, he received some bad news and was in a foul mood.” Betty nodded as she opened her locker, “Let’s just hope he’s in a better mood today.”

Veronica furrowed her brows in confusion, “What do you mean?”

Betty scoffed, “As punishment, Pop is making him volunteer at the diner. Something about making up for the damages.”

Veronica’s jaw dropped, “Archie didn’t tell me that! No way!” Betty grabbed a textbook and closed her locker, “Well, I don’t know anything more than that. I just hope he doesn’t cause trouble...well, more than he already has.” They broke off and went to class.

After school, Betty had cheerleading practice so she quickly changed into her uniform and ran to the gym.

 

After cheerleading practice, Betty headed to the diner. At first, the walk from Riverdale High to Pop’s was long and tiring but after a while, she got really used to it. 

She rushed into Pop’s and immediately headed to the back, where the kitchen is. She was surprised to find Pop and Jughead. “Betty!” Pop said, smiling, “Veronica is going to be arriving late today, so I was hoping you’d be able to show Jughead around...teach him how things run here.”

Betty did not want to be his tour guide, but she also didn’t want to let Pop down. So she nodded and smiled. “Great!” He said, “I’ll leave you two to it.” Then he walked away.

“You obviously don’t want to show me around,” he said, “So forget about it.” He pushed past her and started to walk towards the door.

“What makes you say that?” She asked, spinning around. 

He turned around, “Oh, I don’t know, your slight eye roll, the way you held your breath as he suggested it...oh! And let’s not forget your bright and peppy smile that was very obvious to satisfy your boss.”

Betty was astonished. Gathering up enough courage she replied, “You’re quite perceptive.” Jughead scoffed, “No, I’m just used to people lying.”

Betty sighed, “Look, just let me give you a small tour, I promise I won’t talk about stuff that doesn’t matter and I’ll make it quick. Just five minutes of your time.” He shook his head, “Clean up, take orders, serve orders...I think I got it.” Then he left, shoving the door open.

Betty stood there, shocked. She couldn’t believe it. Betty’s mom has raised her to always put on a positive and happy front, no matter what. And for the most part, it was believable. Most people reacted with a positive reply, and if they could see through her happy veil, they never dared to say anything. So shocked was an understatement when it came to Jughead’s reaction.

With a huff, she went to get changed. Once she was ready, she took her usual spot behind the cash. Jughead sat at the counters up front, not too far from Betty but far enough that they couldn’t hear each other. Betty took out her math homework and slowly started to work through the questions. She always used any free time at work to finish homework.

Soon, people began to arrive. She watched as Jughead stayed sitting, clearly not getting up anytime soon. With a sigh, she dropped her pencil beside her binder and grabbed a notepad from behind the counter. She headed over to the table the customers just settled into and took their order. Just as she handed the piece of paper to Pop, she noticed Veronica walking in. She was already in her uniform. Veronica dropped her purse under the counter and leaned against the counter.

“Hey, B,” she said to Betty with a smile.

Betty sighed, “Hey.” Veronica chuckled, “What happened to your pep?” Betty shrugged and discreetly pointed at Jughead who was still sitting, now reading a book. Veronica let out a laugh, “Is he any nicer?” 

Betty shook her head, “Nope. He just insists on giving attitude.”

Veronica chuckled, “Why does he make you so mad?” Betty rolled her eyes, “Go talk to him and see for yourself.”

Veronica watched Betty closely as she resumed her math homework. “Alright,” Veronica said, causing Betty to look back up, “I will.”

Then she walked over to Jughead.

 

Jughead looked up as Veronica walked over, sighing and looking back at his book. Veronica stopped right beside Jughead and said. “Hey.”

He didn’t look up. Didn’t even move.

Veronica rolled her eyes, “If you needed a job so badly, you could’ve just asked.”

Jughead looked up at her, “Funny.” His voice dripping with sarcasm.

She sat down on the stool beside him, “l can show you around if you’d like.” Jughead smirked, “Why does everyone here insist on that?” Veronica tilted her head to the side slightly and replied, “Because there’s not much else to do around here.”

“I think that if you and your friend just leave me alone, the next three weeks will go by a lot faster,” he said, “So I strongly suggest you keep all tours and sightseeing shows to yourselves.”

Veronica stood up and nodded, “Alright, suit yourself. But if you change your mind, you know where to find us.” Jughead shifted his attention back to his book, so she returned back to where Betty sat.

 

The end of Betty’s shift, along with Veronica and Jugheads, was almost over. There were no more customers, so all that was left was to clean up. 

Pop came out from the kitchen and smiled at the three of them, “Thank you for your help, guys. If you don’t mind, I need a little more help. I usually clean the dishes but my wife just called and I have to head home for a family emergency. Would you guys mind staying a little while longer to tidy up for me?”

Betty nodded, “Of course we’ll do it! I can lock up afterwards.”

Pop smiled, “Veronica? Are you able to?” Veronica sighed, “I can stay a few minutes after but I’m afraid I have to get home for dinner.” Pop nodded. “I understand, don’t worry.”

“Me too,” Jughead said.

Pop chuckled and shook his head, “No, no. I’m afraid you’re staying. Unlike these two, you’re not an official employee, you’re serving time. You’ll be staying.” Jughead rolled his eyes and looked back down. Pop looked back at Betty, “I appreciate it, really.” With one final nod, he left. 

Once their shift ended, Veronica and Betty headed to start cleaning the large pile of dishes that sat in the kitchen. Jughead, once again, sat at the counter reading. As they cleaned, Betty glanced at Jughead through the kitchen window.

Veronica chuckled, “You need to stop worrying about him. If he doesn’t wanna help, forget it.”

Betty let out a heavy sigh and resumed her work, “I just don’t get it. He has no sense of consequences. I’m marvelled that Archie is friends with him.” 

“Speaking of,” Betty continued, “How is Archie? Have you talked to him?”

She shrugged, “Yea, he’s good. I told him I wanted to be more public with him. He insisted we wait longer to be open with others.”

“Did he give a reason?” asked Betty.

Veronica shook her head, “He just kept insisting I wait ‘a little while longer.’ So I told him that I wanted to take a break. If he’s not ready to be mature and open, he’s not ready for a relationship with me.”

Betty stayed silent for a moment as Veronica continued to intensely scrub plates. “Are you completely sure that’s what you want?”

In reply, she shook her head again, “No. But I’ve been waiting so long for us to stop sneaking around. We always end up just staying in the same place, never moving forward. So I suggested a break from each other might help us both understand what we really want.” Veronica finished drying another plate and placed it down. “When he’s ready to move forward, so will I.”

Betty nodded her understanding, Veronica’s reasoning was valid enough. Together they finished cleaning. Veronica gave Betty a quick hug before rushing off. Betty began to tidy up and pack her things. She counted the money in the cash register, to make sure nothing was missing. She’d be lying if she said part of her wasn’t counting to ensure Jughead hadn’t taken some. She instantly felt bad for her assumption but continued her task.

Once everything in the diner was in top condition, she declared her shift over. She grabbed her backpack and the keys to the diner. She was about to leave when she noticed Jughead still sitting at the counter, reading.

“Um, I need to head home in time to do homework and Pop entrusted me with the keys.” She said, in an attempt to hint that he needed to leave.

He closed his book and stuffed it into his bag. “You don’t need to lie, I’m leaving.”

Puzzled, Betty replied, “I wasn’t lying.”

He scoffed, “You spent all day in between orders doing homework. Unless you go to a private school, you don’t have that much homework.” Betty rolled her eyes, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I do have homework to do, it’s just not due tomorrow.”

He followed her as they stepped out of the diner. Betty turned and started to lock the doors. Jughead chuckled, “So you’re a proactive goody-two-shoes?”

Betty once again rolled her eyes, “No, I was just raised to be organized. Besides, how can I do my best if I’m always behind?” She finished locking up and walked alongside Jughead down the short steps in front of the diner doors.

“Raised to be organized? So, let me guess, you have your whole life planned out for you?” he said with a small laugh as they walked away from the diner. Betty shrugged, “In a way, yes.”

Jughead stopped walking abruptly, which caused her to stop. That’s when she noticed the motorcycle parked in front of them. “Is this yours?” she asked. He nodded and grabbed the helmet off the seat, “Need a ride?”

Betty immediately shook her head, “No, no way. I couldn’t.”

Jughead laughed, “It’s not as dangerous as most people think. In fact, I think bikes receive a far too harsh rep.”

Betty shook her head, again, “No, it’s not that.” His eyes widened a little and he tilted his head as if saying then what’s the problem?

Betty took another look at his bike before looking at him and shaking her head, “My parents would be furious. So I appreciate the offer, but I’ll stick to walking.”

Jughead nodded, “Suit yourself.” He threw one leg over the bike. “Later, Cooper.” With that, he drove off.

Betty didn’t question the nickname -in fact, she possibly liked it- so she simply just watched as he sped off into the night.


	4. Penny for your thoughts?

Seeing Jughead every day became oddly normal for Betty very quickly. If she was being honest, she looked forward to it. Apart from Betty and Veronica, all the other staff members were much older. Having a fresh face that was in their age group helped.

 Betty watched as Sweet Pea, Fangs, Archie and Toni climbed out of their car and headed inside the diner. Veronica visibly stiffened at the sight of Archie. Once she realized they were coming her way, she shifted her attention to the counter.

 “Pop,” Jughead called from the other side of the kitchen window. “Can I take my break now?”

 Pop turned away from the stove, “Sure, 25 minutes.” Then he turned back to his food.

 Betty and Veronica watched as Jughead swiftly walked over to the rest of the gang and sat down beside them. Betty noticed Veronica and Archie share an intense glance.

 “Still no word from Archie?” she asked her dark-haired friend.

 Veronica shook her head, “Whatever. I don’t want to think about it.” She slammed a notepad down on the counter, “I’m taking a break too.” She gave one last look Archie’s way before disappearing into the back of the diner. Archie’s eyes followed and then fell to Betty’s. She sighed and grabbed a notepad, heading to the table.

 Betty plastered an energetic smile when she reached their table, “What can I get you guys today?”

 “Fries, two orders,” Sweet Pea said, not making eye contact with her and instead read off the menu. “And two root beer floats.” Betty nodded, scribbling down his order.

 As Toni began to place her order, Betty noticed Archie staring at her. When she looked in his direction, he immediately snapped his head down. She refocused and took everyone’s order, then went to hand the orders to Pop through the kitchen window. She took her usual seat at the register and pulled out her homework.

 “I’ll be right back,” Archie told the group before sliding out of the booth and heading over to where Betty sat. 

 He cleared his throat once he was in front of her, catching her attention. She looked up from her book, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

 He gulped and glanced down before meeting her eyes again, “I was uh-...you’re friends with Veronica, right?” 

 Betty closed her binder shut and rested her arms on it, “Yea, I am. Her _best_ friend.”

 He nodded, “Right, um...I was wondering if you could talk to her? She’s upset with me and I want to make it up to her, but she won’t talk to me.” Betty sighed, “Archie, I can’t talk to her _for_ you. It’s none of my business, but I know why she’s upset. She has a right to feel however she wants to...and she has the right to hear from _you_ about this. It has to come from you.”

 Disappointment filled his face and he nodded, looking down. “I’m not trying to be difficult,” she said. “I just think this is a conversation between both of you.”

 “She won’t talk to me!” He said, “I don’t know what to do.” Her heart ached for the boy, and her best friend. She sighed, “Want my honest opinion? Give her time, she needs to think things through.”

 Archie nodded, “Okay...give her a message for me though?” Betty sighed, “Sure.” Archie’s eyes softened, “Tell her…tell her that I’ll do what she wants. I care about her and that I’ll do what she’s asking.”

 Betty’s jaw dropped slightly. Archie nodded and walked away, back to his friends. Betty couldn’t believe it. She waited until he was seated again before she quickly rushed to the back of the diner, where she found Veronica sitting on a crate. Veronica was startled by Betty’s rushed entrance.

 “B,” she said, looking up. “Where’s the fire?”

 Betty paused at her friend’s red-stained, teary eyes. She gave her a sympathetic smile, “Um, I have a message for you.”

 Veronica’s brows furrowed together, “What? From who?” Betty knelt in front of her, “Archie.” Veronica’s eyes widened, “When? Just now?” Betty nodded. “What did he say?” she asked.

 Betty shrugged slightly, “He told me he wanted to talk to you. I told him it was probably best to give you some time.” Veronica chuckled, “Yea, like a week.” Betty put her hand on Veronicas folded arms, “He told me to tell you that he’s going to do what you want him to. And he said he cares about you, so he’s gonna do it.” 

 Veronica’s eyes widened again, “Does he mean-...Is he-”

 Betty shrugged, “I assume so, I mean you did tell him you wanted to stop sneaking around.” Veronica nodded, a small smile starting to pull at her lips. “I need to talk to him,” she said as she stood and headed for the double swinging doors that lead to the diner. “Wh-...Now?” Betty questioned as she watched her friend burst through the doors. She followed after her. 

 However, Veronica’s smile fell when she found the booth where the Serpents were previously sitting at empty. Jughead was back behind the counter, reading. Veronica rushed over to him, Betty following close behind. 

 “Jones!” she said, causing Jughead to look up. “Where are your friends?”

 Jughead gave her a look of confusion, “My friends? What’s it to you?” Veronica sighed and slammed her palms down on the counter between them, “Yes, your friends. Where are they?” Jughead rolled his eyes, “They left. They finished eating and went elsewhere, who cares?” Veronica sighed in frustration and turned to Betty, “Just great!” Then she stomped away.

 Betty looked back at Jughead, whose face was covered with confusion. “Do I need to be concerned?” he asked. Betty shook her head, “It’s under control.” She rushed off to find Veronica.

  


“I honestly can’t wait until I’m done making it up to Pop,” Jughead said as he took a seat beside Archie at a table in the Whyte Wyrm. Also seated at the table were Toni and Cheryl. Toni smirked, “What? You don’t like serving burgers and milkshakes in a forever peppy environment?” Jughead laughed, “No, but I love Pop’s. Despite its pep.”

 “Too many northsiders?” Toni asked. Jughead laughed, “Something like that.”

 “You work with a couple of them,” Cheryl asked, “Betty and Veronica, right?” Toni nudged Cheryl lightly, “How do you know them?” Cheryl shrugged, “Reputation.” Archie laughed, “Cheryl makes it her _job_ to know everything about everyone.” Cheryl lifted her legs and placed them in Toni’s lap, “I want to be informed, is that a crime?”

 “As much as I just _love_ your company, I was hoping that I could speak to Jug for a minute.” Jughead snapped his head towards Archie at his words. Toni and Cheryl both got up and walked over to the bar. Archie looked down at his lap, preparing his words.

 “Archie, man, is something wrong?” Jughead asked.

 Archie sighed and lifted his eyes to his best friend, “There’s something I need to tell you, and honestly, I don’t know how you’re gonna take it.” Concern and curiosity filled Jughead’s face, “Arch, I’m sure whatever it is, it’s not that bad. We can fix it.”

 Archie shook his head, “I just need you to hear me out before you say anything, ok?” Jughead nodded. Archie took a deep breath in, “I started seeing someone. Unofficially.”

 A smile grew on Jughead’s face, “Arch! That’s great, I’m happy for you! Why would you think I’d be upset?” Archie glanced at his lap before pulling his eyes back up to Jughead’s, “Because she’s a northsider.”

 Jughead’s face fell and he became silent. He coughed and looked down at the table. “I met her at school about a month ago and we’ve been hanging out ever since. I care about her a lot and I want to build a relationship with her, I just didn’t want you to hear about it from anyone but me first.”

 Jughead shifted his gaze back to Archie, “A northsider? Arch, have you thought this through? I mean, you do realize that this is a set up for many social conflicts. You already draw the short straw being a northsider-turned-southsider. Why add this to the mix?”

 Archie sighed, “I know, I understand what making this public does and it worries me. But I care about her, Jug, I do. She makes me happy.”

 “There’s nothing I want more than to see you happy, you have to know that. Which is exactly why I strongly suggest you think this through. Angry northsiders -and southsiders- are not to be messed with. Think it through,” Jughead said with a huff. He stood up and turned to Archie, “Okay?”

 Archie nodded. Jughead turned to walk away but spun back around, “Oh, and Arch, who is this girl anyway?” Archie smiled slightly, “Veronica.”

 Jughead froze, “Veronica _Lodge_?! The one I work with?”

 Archie nodded. Jughead’s jaw dropped, “No fucking way.”

  
  


Betty watched Veronica pace back and forth across her marble bedroom floor. Veronica’s parents were at an important meeting, so Veronica invited Betty over. It was rare Betty’s mom said yes, but today she had.

 “V,” Betty said, catching her friend’s attention, “You need to slow down.”

 Veronica shook her head, “He goes and says _that_ -which is so unclear by the way- and then just doesn’t answer the phone?” Betty shrugged, “Maybe he’s figuring everything out right now.” With a huff, Veronica threw herself onto the bed beside Betty. “It’s going to be okay,” Betty told her, “You will figure it out, both of you will.” “Thanks, B.”

 Betty glanced up at the clock and gasped, “Oh my god!” She stood up and started packing up her bag. “What’s wrong?” asked a startled Veronica. “I forgot to stop by the library and pick up a few books I need for my paper!” she said frantically. “So? Get them tomorrow.” Betty shook her head, “It’s due the day after tomorrow. Besides, I told my mom I was grabbing them today before I go home. I’m already pushing my time.” Bag packed and phone in hand, Betty paused to look at her best friend, “I’m sorry. I have to go. Call me after though! And don’t worry, it’s gonna be okay.” Veronica nodded and watched her leave.

 

  
Betty rushed into the library. The sky was beginning to grow dark outside, so she knew she needed to be fast. Her phone was buzzing in her pocket, so she pulled it out. It was her mom.

  _Mom: It’s late. Where are you?_

 Betty sighed.

  _Betty: Having trouble finding the books I need. Almost done!_

 She knew it was a stupid excuse but she couldn’t think of a better one at the moment. Her phone buzzed again.

  _Mom: Be fast._

 Betty shoved her phone into her pocket and began searching the shelves. She skimmed by each one. Row after row with little luck. She turned to the next row which was at the back of the library. It was a dark and cozy corner in the library. Keeping her eyes on the books, she sped along the shelf. Suddenly, she tripped on something and fell forward with a yelp.

 She groaned and sat up to see what she had tripped on. To her surprise, she found Jughead sitting on the floor. He was reading a book.

 He gave her a confused look, “That’s an awfully fast pace for a library.”

 She laughed, remaining on the floor beside him, “I was in a rush, sorry.” Jughead shrugged, “It’s okay, I probably shouldn’t be taking up so much room.” She noticed him cross his legs. She chose not to point out that he had no snappy comeback for her and gave a small smile instead. “This is an odd time to be at the library,” she said, “It’s almost closing time.”

 “I just needed a place to think,” he replied with a shrug.

 Betty shifted over so she was sitting side-by-side with him. “Penny for your thoughts?” He chuckled at her and smiled slightly, “I’ll pass.” She smiled and shrugged, “Might help to talk about it.” “Fine, I’ll bite,” Jughead closed his book and set it down in his lap, “I have this friend who’s making a big decision. I guess I’m just worried about how it will affect him.” Betty nodded, “Oddly enough, I can relate to that.”

 Realization covered Jughead’s face, “ _You_ know about Archie and Veronica?” Betty’s eyes widened, “Wait, _you_ know about Veronica and Archie?” Jughead frowned, “How long have you known?” Betty relaxed and leaned back on the wall behind her, “Since the beginning, I guess.” Jughead scowled, “Archie never told me.”

 Betty’s brows furrowed together, “Why not?” Jughead shrugged, “I don’t know.” Betty gave him a “ _and what else?”_ Look. Jughead sighed in defeat, “If I’m being honest, I think he didn’t tell me because he knew I’d be upset.” It was Betty’s turn to frown, “Why would you be upset?”

 Jughead scoffed, “Because she’s a northsider.” Betty grimaced, “So?” He rolled his eyes, “You’ve got to be kidding me, you too? Why don’t you guys understand what a risk this is! Have you ever heard of another northsider-southsider couple? No. Why? Because northsiders and southsiders hate each other and there’s a huge social and political objective. Believing otherwise is unwise.”

 Betty shrugged, “I disagree.” Jughead laughed, “Why? Let me guess, you believe in _‘love defeats all’_ or something?” Betty giggled, “No.” He scuffed a laugh, “Then what could make you think this is a smart idea?”

 “Because I see the way they look at each other and I witness how happy they make each other and I think, how could _that_ be _wrong_?” She said with a small sigh. Jughead grew serious and turned his eyes to his lap, deep in thought.

 She laughed, “I mean, I wouldn’t choose that for myself. But I’ve had time to process it and I realized I needed to be supportive. Even if I don’t completely agree.”

 Jughead nodded, “I just don’t know what to say to him.”

 Betty smiled softly, “Tell him you care about him and that’s why you’re so worried. But you understand how important this is to him, so you support him.” Jughead smiled slightly at her, “Thank you.”

 Betty’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen.

  _Mom: Where are you??_

 “You somewhere you’re not supposed to be?” he asked, nodding his head towards her phone. 

 “Huh?” she glanced back at her phone then to him, “Um, yeah, something like that. I should probably get going.” She stood up, “I still have a book to find: _Scientific Writing and Communication_.”

 “By Angelika H. Hofmann?” he asked. Betty nodded. Jughead put his book aside and stood up. He reached behind her and plucked the book off the shelf. “Here,” he handed it out to her. “Thank you,” she took it from him. “Consider it a gift for listening,” he said.

 “Anytime,” she said with a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nodded and she turned to leave. Jughead sat back down and pulled his phone out.

  _Jughead: Meet me at my trailer in 20 minutes._

 He began to pack up his stuff when his phone buzzed.

  _Archie: On my way._

  
  


Jughead opened the door and was faced with a nervous Archie. He stepped aside and let Archie in. Once he was inside, Jughead closed the door. He gestured for Archie to sit and he did.

 “Sorry it’s late, I just wanted to talk about earlier,” he explained. Archie nodded, “No worries. I was going to come by anyway.”

 Jughead took a deep breath, “Listen, Arch, I’m sorry about how I reacted. It’s just, you’re my best friend and you’ve stuck by me through everything. You’re my family. So I guess I was just worried about the risks you’re taking. That worry caused me to forget that your happiness is important too, and I’m sorry.” Archie shook his head, “Don’t apologize. I understand your worry.” They fell silent for a moment.

 “I care about her,” Archie said, “I have to do this. I _want_ to do this.”

 Jughead stayed silent as he processed. He remembered his conversation with Betty.

 He nodded, “Then I support you.” 

 Archie stood up and hugged him. “Thanks, man.” Pushing his worry aside, Jughead hugged him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jughead's relationship will start to become a lot more fast paced now. I know it may feel like a Varchie centred fanfic, but I promise lot's of Bughead coming your way!


	5. The Twilight Drive-In

She only ordered milkshakes on the days she didn’t have cheerleading practice after school. It was always a vanilla milkshake. He knew she wasn’t having a good day when she ate while studying or continuously glanced at the clock. And he knew she was having a good day when she takes her 15-minute break or skips slightly while working.

Jughead hadn’t even noticed that he was beginning to observe Betty so closely. It has been three days since their moment in the library. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what had changed but it was like a wall had fallen between them. He wasn’t as passive-aggressive around her and found himself reading at work less and instead took little opportunities to talk to her.

“Have you heard from Archie?” asked Betty, pulling him from his thoughts.

“Huh?” he said, shifting in his seat. He had been so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice she had put her homework away. They were sitting behind the register, the diner almost empty.

“Veronica hasn’t been at work since Archie talked to you. She messaged me yesterday and said that she was with Archie and that she’d explain after,” Betty explained, nervousness displayed on her face.

Jughead shook his head, “I haven’t heard much. He asked me to take notes for him in class and that was about it.” He took notice of her bouncing leg. “Betty, you need to relax. I’m sure they’re just...talking.” Jughead earned a small chuckle at that.

“What’s it like there, anyway?” she asked. “Where?” he questioned, confused by her sudden and irrelevant question.

She shrugged and fiddled with the phone cord, “At Southside High.”

He leaned forward, “There’s dry blood on the walls and I’m pretty sure the food is poisoned.” Betty’s mouth was slightly agape. Jughead burst out laughing, causing Betty to frown. “What is it with you northsiders? You act as though we’re a whole other species.”

Jughead leaned back and betty let out a huff. “I’ve just never been on the southside. It’s a whole other part of my town and I haven’t even seen it.” 

“Well, trust me, it’s not that pretty,” he softened, “You’re not missing much.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile, “Most things aren’t.”

“Seeing as you’re so insistent on the subject,” he began, “Perhaps I could show you one of the more appealing attractions the southside has to offer.” Betty smiled, “I’m listening.” Jughead grabbed a pen and paper and began to write an address, “There’s this drive-in theatre around the corner from where I live. I work there -when I’m not here, of course- and I can snag some pretty good seats…” he handed her the paper, “...usually.”

Betty smiled, taking the paper from him. “When?” she asked. “I’m free tonight, let’s say at around 8 pm?” he replied. She tossed the idea around in her head. She had planned on tracking down Veronica tonight -told her mom she was sleeping over since it was a Friday night- however she supposed that she’d call her later. “Sure,” she smiled.

“Great!” Jughead said before looking back down at the counter. Betty’s eyes lingered on him for a short while longer before being pulled away by entering customers.

 

Betty looked up nervously at the building. She had gone home to change, settling on a lavender tank top paired with a pink mid-thigh skirt. Kevin dropped her off in exchange for an explanation at a later time. There was a slight chill in the air, although she guessed it was likely her nerves. 

The Twilight Drive-In, read the large lit-up sign.

Taking a deep breath, she walked up to the entrance. Jughead had told her to wait there for him. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t ignore the sea of leather around her. She noticed a group of young people with an image of a skull stuck on the back of their jackets. Underneath read, Ghoulies. Some of them were clearly intoxicated and she shivered at their presence. 

“Hey, you made it,” came Jughead’s voice, startling Betty.

She exhaled when she saw it was him and smiled, “Yea. I’m a big fan of movies, so…” He nodded and they fell silent for a moment. He gestured his hand and bowed down slightly, “After you.”

They walked side-by-side towards a smaller building that looked more like a shack than anything else. There was a metal staircase that led up to it. She followed him up the stairs and he unlocked the door, letting her step inside first.

It was a tiny room, not much space. She noticed a chair set up in front of a projector. She turned to Jughead, “You’re a projection operator!” He rubbed the back of his head nervously and nodded, “Most nights, yea.”

She resumed looking around. She was surprised to see that there was a futon in the corner along with a small cupboard. There were blankets in the corner and a few jackets left on the futon. The leather jacket with a snake laced on the back of it caught her eye, reminding her of just how outside of her comfort zone she was.

“The movie is starting soon,” he said, “So I have to set it up. I’ll just need to sit by it, but otherwise, you’ll have my attention.” He chuckled. “No worries,” she replied, “Could I...um, nevermind, sorry.”

He frowned in confusion, “You can ask.”

She shook her head, flustered, “I was just wondering if I could see how it works. I’m just curious.”

Jughead smiled and let out a laugh. He held his hand out to her, “Come here.”

She grabbed his hand and he pulled her towards the chair. He directed her to sit and she complied. Standing behind her, he reached his arms out in front of her and fiddled with the projector. Through the small hole in front of the projector, she could see the screen and dozens of cars parked in front of it. She smiled at the sight.

“I’ve already put the film in, so now I just have to press ‘play.’” He pressed a button and the screen lit up. Betty giggled and Jughead pulled his hands back. Betty couldn’t see him, but she could feel his breath over her shoulder. She suddenly became very aware of how close they were.

Then Jughead moved back and she felt his warmth fade. She turned and looked around the room again. This time she noticed a small refrigerator on the floor, next to a very old and small stove. She chuckled, “You could live here.”

She thought she saw fear cross his face, but she couldn’t be certain. Regardless, his expression shifted to humour the second he saw her gaze on the fridge. “Yea, like I said before, I work here a lot so I usually end up staying the night here.” She nodded her understanding and shifted her eyes around the room again. It was slightly messy, certainly not Alice Cooper approved. Something about this cozy little shack had a charm that appealed to Betty.

Her gaze fell back to him, “Why did you choose this place?”

He laughed, “Hey, if you’re taking a dig at the lack of panache-”

“No!” she interrupted him, “I just meant...at Pop’s you said this was one of the more appealing parts of the southside. I was wondering what made you choose this place over any other place in the southside.”

Jughead visibly softened at that. “I don’t know,” he replied, “I’ve been coming here since I was little. My sister and I loved this place. It just sort of became my favourite spot.”

She hadn’t expected that. Knowing Jughead had a sister -a close one at that- changed the way she saw him in a slightly softer light. “You’ve never mentioned your sister before,” she observed. He nodded, awkwardly, “Yea, I don’t really talk about it with anyone. And things are sort of complicated now.” Complicated was something Betty understood well, so she settled with staying quiet.

“So, what about you?” he asked, shifting on the futon, “What’s life like on the northside? Is it a fairytale-like everyone believes?” Betty giggled and tried to process a reasonable and discreet answer. “I don’t entirely know. I think everything has its bad parts,” she said, “but with that is its good parts. So I guess overall, it’s not that bad.”

He nods, “Seems like it.”

They fell silent once again. She couldn’t stop herself from wondering what he must be thinking. And ultimately, how she ended up here. With him. “Apart from being a lover of films,” she commented, “What else don’t I know about you?”

Jughead laughed as she leaned forward and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. “Well,” he began, “In case you haven’t already noticed, I’m a loner.”

“Go on,” she protested.

 

Fortunately for Betty, Kevin allowed her to put a raincheck on an explanation. Once she pointed out that she had a long day tomorrow and that she wasn’t quite ready to discuss the matter, he folded. So that resulted in a long and quiet drive home.

The following morning, Betty woke up early and rushed to school. Her first two classes were long and tiring, more than usual because of her late night. So no words could explain the relief Betty felt at the sound of the lunchtime bell.

She packed up her things and headed to the Blue and Gold office. The Blue and Gold was the name of the school paper. Herself, along with Kevin and Ethel were apart of the team. Veronica occasionally hung out in the office if Betty was there. She took her usual spot at her desk and began reviewing this weeks article topic when Kevin came bursting into the room.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said as he closed the door behind him and took a seat across from her. “You owe me an explanation.”

She chuckled and folded her hands in front of her, “What do you want to know?”

“Uh, how about everything?” He stated. “You never hang out on the Southside -no one does- and you’re sneaking around.”

Betty shrugged, “I went to the drive-in theatre with a friend.” Confusion grew on Kevin’s face, “The Twilight Drive-in? But lots of Serpents and Ghoulies hang around there. Who did you go with? Veronica?”

“No,” she said, keeping her gaze down on the papers scattered in front of her. “I went with Jughead.”

She waited for his response -scolding, yelling, whichever it was- but found silence instead. She looked up and was surprised to see a confused smile on his face. “What?” She prompted.

“Jughead Jones?” He asked, a slight laugh in his voice. “Isn’t he like Serpent royalty or something?”

Betty frowned, “What are you talking about?”

Kevin chuckled to himself before continuing, “You mean you don’t know? Jeez, Cooper, you sure live under a rock.”

“Yea, yea. Just tell me.”

“Jughead’s dad is Fp Jones. The leader of the Southside Serpents. By serpent law, he’s eventually going to inherit the right to take his dad's place. He’s getting close to the age.”

Betty’s eyes widened, “Wait, his dad runs the Serpents?”

“Yea,” he confirmed, “and by default, a large part of the Southside. Betty Cooper, I believe you’ve found your prince...your serpent prince, that is.”

Betty shook her head, “He would’ve told me. I would’ve known.”

Kevin shrugged, “That’s between the two of you, but all I’m saying is be careful. If he’s lying about this, what more could he be lying about?”

Betty pondered her friend's words. Was he right? Could Jughead be hiding more from her? In Jughead’s defence, they had only known each other for a short while. And it’s not like he knows much about her either. Regardless, she didn’t know how to process this information.

“I’ll be careful,” she replied, “promise.”

Kevin gave her a small smile, “Alright. I’m gonna choose to trust you.” She didn’t say it, but she appreciated his understanding and trust in her. With a final nod, he stood and left.

She instantly knew that she would need to find a subtle enough way to bring this up with Jughead. In all honesty, she’s surprised she never knew before. Looking back, she can identify the small signals that suggested he did hold some authority over the Serpents. The more obvious ones being the way many Serpents sought his go-ahead before proceeding with anything or the way that Jughead always has at least two Serpents with him while he’s working. She hadn’t taken notice of it before but Serpents didn’t hang around the north side, but once Jughead started working for Pop, they began to come around more.

She thought it over and decided that it wasn’t such a big deal. Not in the grand scheme of things. Jughead was still Jughead and regardless of where he stood with the Serpents, he was still her friend. A close one, at that. Even though it doesn’t change their friendship, she still had questions. So she’d need to find a way to bring it up to him without tipping him off that she had been discussing it with a friend.

Just then, Veronica -like Kevin- came rushing into the office. “B, we need to talk,” she said as she shut the door and took a seat next to Betty. 

Betty nodded, “Yea, I haven’t heard from you in a while and I was worried.”

Veronica sighed sympathetically, “I know, but I can explain. Archie and I talked a lot. He explained that he wanted to be the first one to tell Jughead about us because they’re best friends. And Jughead isn’t exactly the northside’s biggest fan.” Betty’s smile faltered at that, but she let her friend continued.

“Cutting to the chase,” Veronica proceeded, “He told him and Jughead was alright with it. So now we have made it official! We’re officially dating!”

Betty widened her smile, “That’s amazing, V! I’m so happy for you - the both of you!”

Veronica blushed, “Thank you! I’ve been waiting so long for this, I’m so happy.”

Betty nodded, “So should I expect to see him at Pop’s?”

“For sure,” she replied. “I have to go find him. He’s coming from Southside High to visit me for lunch. I just wanted to come and tell you and catch up with you.” She stood up and grabbed her bag from the chair, “But we’ll talk later, okay?” Betty nodded and watched as her raven-haired friend left the room.

Betty thought back to what Veronica had said - about Jughead not liking the northside. Judging by the fact that Archie was hesitant to tell Jughead, it seemed like he disliked the northside a lot. Despite her attempt to push the thought away, she couldn’t help but wonder if that hate reflected onto her. She was a northsider.

She found herself becoming nervous. The hostile way Jughead had treated her when they first met was clear now - she was a northsider. It explained why he acted that way towards both her and Veronica. But then she began to think of the night he brought her to the Twilight Drive-In. He had been kind to her. Did that mean he didn’t resent her?

Pushing her thoughts away for later, she resumed reviewing this weeks article topic.


	6. Fuming Lights

“They’ve done it again!” exclaimed Sweet Pea as he slammed a copy of The Riverdale Register onto the cafeteria table.

Jughead, Cheryl and Toni all eyed the paper for a moment before Jughead reached to pick it up. “Let me guess,” Toni said, “Southside gang disturbed the peace?”

Right on the front page in big, bold letters read: SOUTHSIDE SERPENTS VANDALIZE LOCAL STORE! With a roll of his eyes Jughead began to read part of the article, “Late last night three member of a southside gang known as the Serpents vandalized a local coffee shop...further ensuring their damaging effects to the Riverdale community.”

“What proof do they have that it was a southsider?” asked Cheryl.

Jughead shrugged, “Not much. Other than the fact that the store is located at the edge of the northside.” Sweet Pea slumped down beside Jughead, “Someone spray painted a raven onto the side of the place. That ain’t a Serpent. We tag with snakes”

Toni nodded, “It’s not a Ghoulie either. They tag with skulls. Are there any other gangs on the southside?”

Sweet Pea shook his head, “Just the pretty poisons. But I don’t think they dabble in ravens.”

“Doesn’t matter,” said Jughead, “It wasn’t a Serpent, that’s all that matters. Just ignore it. They have no proof, otherwise we’d be arrested. They named the gang as a whole. We leave it for now. If the sheriff comes around looking for a fight, we’ll handle it then.”

“Who wrote the damn article anyway?” asked Cheryl.

“The infamous Alice Cooper!” announced Toni, reading off the newspaper.

Jughead froze. Alice Cooper was well known as one of the biggest Serpent enemies. She has been targeting serpents in her articles for years. That’s not what made him pause. No, it was the very familiar last name. Betty had the same last name. No, he thought, it can’t be. Were they related? Jughead didn’t want to believe it.

Sweet Pea scoffed, “Of course. I expected nothing less from that northside priss.”

Jughead stood, “I gotta go find Archie.” He didn’t know what to make of his discovery, but he knew his best friend could offer him some advice. Or at the very least help him think it through. He knew Archie would be in the gym.

Southside High’s gymnasium wasn’t very big and wasn’t well kept. But that didn’t stop Archie from utilizing it as much as he could.

Jughead found Archie shooting baskets in the gym. It was empty otherwise. He was shirtless and sweating. The door closed loudly when Jughead entered, causing Archie to snap his head up. He smiled when he saw it was Jughead.

“Jug,” he said breathlessly, catching his ball, “Where’s everyone else?”

“They’re in the cafe,” he explained, looking down. Archie frowned, “What’s wrong?” He put the ball against the wall and grabbed his towel to dry off the sweat that covered his body. Jughead sighed, “I have a problem.”

Archie furrowed his brows together, “What’s going on?”

“Well, you know Alice Cooper, the reporter from The Riverdale Register?” he asked. Archie rolled his eyes and nodded, “Yea, what did she do? Publish another article about us?”

“Well, yeah, but that’s not the problem,” Jughead said with a nervous sigh. Confusion filled Archie’s face. “Her last name is Cooper,” Jughead stated.

“Yea, so?” Archie asked, not understanding what Jughead was implying.

“So is Betty’s,” Jughead said, once again looking down.

Archie was quiet for a moment. “You think they’re related,” he said, more of a statement than a question. Jughead nodded. Archie shrugged, “What’s the big deal, Jug?”

Jughead scoffed, “Because Alice Cooper is like Serpent enemy number one! And knowing Betty is related to her, I don’t think I can be around her knowing her family is negatively targeting Serpents. I can’t believe I didn’t notice it before.”

“Just,” Jughead sobbed, “Tell me what to do.”

Archie raised his eyebrows, “Gee, Jug. I don’t know. If it bothers you that much, just stay away from her. You have about a week or two left of working for Pop Tate left, so just wait it out. Then you don’t have to see her again.” Jughead didn’t seem satisfied with that answer.

Archie patted his hand on Jughead’s shoulder, “Just stay away from her.”

Jughead rolled his head to the side, “That won’t work, I can’t do that.” Archie scrunched his face, “Why not?”

“Because,” Jughead paused, “I don’t want to.”

Archie’s face fell in realization. “Oh,” he said, “I see.” They stayed silent, Archie’s hand slipping off his shoulder. “Wait, so you guys-” Archie began. “No!” Jughead interjected, “I just...she’s a good friend and I’ve hung around her a lot. I just don’t want to lose her...as a friend.”

“Okay,” Archie said, looking up in thought. “If she and Alice are related, does that change how you feel about her?” Jughead shrugged, “No. I don’t know. It makes me question things. Like, how does she just let Alice write those articles? I mean, does she even bother to defend the Serpents? I thought she wasn’t that type of person.”

Archie nodded, “Yea, but it’s important to remember that Betty is a northsider, she owes no loyalty to the Serpents.”

“What do I do?” he asked.

“Talk to her,” Archie said. “Ask her those questions. Maybe there’s more to the story than you’re considering.”

Jughead nodded, “Yea, alright. Thank you.” Archie shrugged, “No worries. Now go eat something before lunch is over.” Jughead nodded and left the gym, returning to the other Serpents. Thankfully their conversation about Alice Cooper’s article was long over.

 

“Higher!” shouted Midge. “Yup, that’s better!”

Betty continued the memorized choreography. Midge stood in front of everyone and watched. Midge was the head cheerleader. She was very well known at Riverdale High for her social status. She also had a very venomous attitude that Betty preferred to stay away from. But when Veronica begged Betty to join the Vixens with her, Betty couldn’t say no. And she truly loved being a cheerleader, just not the way Midge led.

“Alright!” Midge yelled, signaling the end of practice. “We’ll continue more during our practice. We have to get this right. I’ll see you all there, you’re dismissed.”

Betty exhaled, glad to have a minute to catch her breath. All the other vixens headed to the changeroom. Veronica put her hand on Betty’s arm, “I’m not working today. But I’ll message you after your shift.” Betty nodded and Veronica followed the rest of the girls. Betty grabbed her school sweater and was about to head to the changeroom when she heard her name being called.

“Betty!” Midge called, “Come here for a minute.”

Betty miserably and nervously headed over to her. She flashed a smile, “We need to talk about your performance. You’re lacking the quality I look for in a vixen.” Betty internally rolled her eyes, she knew Midge was referring to Betty’s disinterest in being apart of Midge’s group. The Vixens - apart from Veronica and Betty - frequently spent their time with Midge. They did what Midge asked when she asked. Betty and Veronica weren’t interested in being apart of that group. Which meant a lot of anger from Midge.

Veronica didn’t receive the same heat from Midge as Betty did because her parents were wealthy and known in Riverdale to have power. If Hiram Lodge - Veronica’s dad - were to hear about Midge being too insistent towards Veronica, he’d surely deliver a challenging issue for Midge. Likely, she’d no longer hold her position with the Vixens. So, she kept her anger to herself when it came to Veronica.

Betty, on the other hand, didn’t share the same luxury. Her parents were well respected, yes, but they didn’t have the level of authority or power as the Lodge family did. So Betty was left to deal with Midge’s temper.

“I understand you’re upset,” Betty said. “I’ve learned and memorized all the choreography though and I haven’t messed up on a single performance. So what’s concerning you?”

Betty’s mom valued her family’s reputation very much. A reputation that was a fairly wealthy, organized and kind family. Betty was expected to be kind to everyone, no matter the circumstance, and present an organized front. So as much as Betty would’ve liked to explain her displeasure with Midge’s attitude, she took a more respectable approach.

“I prefer my Vixens to have a more united front,” she replied, “So although you have a very unproblematic performance, your lack of inclusiveness is what concerns me.”

Betty could cut the tension between them with a knife. “I’ll be sure to work on that,” she smiled, “I wouldn’t dwell on it further.” When Midge didn’t reply, Betty turned to walk away.

“Oh, and Betty,” Midge said, causing Betty to turn back around. Betty spun around and returned her gaze back to Midge. “Don’t overvalue your worth on my team,” she said, venom laced in her tone.

Betty’s hands clenched into fists. The sharp feel of her nails breaking through the skin of her palm followed shortly after. Betty pulled a bright smile, “Noted.” And then she proceeded to walk to the change room.

 

Jughead waited impatiently for Betty to get to Pop’s. He was often earlier, although today seemed to be a longer wait than usual. He began thinking of all the different ways he could bring it up to her.

The chime of the bell above the front door caught his attention and looked up to see Betty. She was wearing her work uniform already. He noticed a dim, saddened expression in the way she moved. But once she walked further into the diner, her demeanor changed. She waved him a hello quickly before rushing to the back to put her bag away. She returned a few minutes later and stood beside him behind the counter. She began grabbing stacks of menus when he noticed a bandage wrapped around her palms. He wanted to ask about it but felt it wasn’t his place. 

“Hey, Jug,” she said. He didn’t reply, turning away from her. She frowned, “Everything okay?” 

He paused, staring at her for a moment before replying, “Yea, I’m fine.” He glanced at her and noticed a look of hurt on her face. “Jug, you don’t seem okay,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

He turned to her, “Are you related to Alice Cooper?” Without expecting it, he became filled with anger. Not so much at her, more towards the situation he found himself in. He knew being friends with the daughter of Alice Cooper would anger many Serpents.

Betty looked taken aback by his sudden question. “Yea, she’s my mom. Is something wrong?” Betty knew her mom was very straight forward and did nothing to spare the feelings of others. She also knew she held a strong and long-lasting hatred towards the southside. So she assumed something had happened to anger Jughead this much. The only question was what.

“She wrote an article in The Riverdale Register attacking the Serpents. Do you just let her do that? You don’t even bother to stand up for the Serpents? And I can’t help but wonder if you hate us as much as your mom does. I mean, I doubt she encourages you to withhold a positive light towards us.” he blurted out. He could tell by the look on her face that she was hurt, but he still didn’t understand why.

“I have no control over what my mom publishes. It’s her newspaper. My parents own The Riverdale Register.” He noticed her hurt expression quickly turn into anger. “And even if they didn’t own it, I hold no authority over what my mom does or doesn’t do. And she may dislike the Serpents but that doesn’t mean I do. So I don’t understand why you’re so upset with me.”

Jughead shrugged, some of his anger simmering away, “I just assumed-”

“I’m not my mother!” she fumed.

Taken aback by her outburst, Jughead stopped. “You give all this talk about northsiders making assumptions about southsiders while you proceed to make similar assumptions about me.” She dropped the menus from her hands onto the counter and stormed off.

Jughead sighed, dropping his head into his palms. “Shit,” he mumbled.

Unfortunately Betty and Jughead were the only servers on shift tonight, apart from another older woman named Deloris. Which resulted in an awkward shift. Betty tried her best not to speak or interact with him as she went along with her work. Apart from a few emotionless I’ll take that table ‘s, she had succeeded. As the night grew darker and darker, fewer customers occupied the diner. Because Pop’s was open 24 hours on most days, they were left working late hours with little customers. A fact that Jughead was thankful for in this moment. The diner was empty. Deloris was sweeping in the far corner of the diner while Betty and Jughead sat behind the register. Jughead was reading - pretending to at least - and Betty was cleaning a stack of trays.

“Betty,” Jughead said, hesitantly. She didn’t reply, simply kept cleaning as if he hadn’t spoken. “Betty, I want to apologize,” he said. “I overreacted and I’m sorry. I tend to kneel to anger when I deal with situations.”

Betty’s face softened at his words. She sighed, putting down the tray, “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have yelled. To be honest, most of that anger was from an earlier situation I was dealing with. I shouldn’t have taken that out on you.” They both fell silent for a moment.

“You’re right, I assumed you shared your mother's hatred towards the Serpents. And I know you don’t owe your loyalty to me or the Serpents. I was just worried because I didn’t think I could still hang out with you when your mom hates me so much. I didn’t want our friendship to end because of it.”

“Do you still feel that way?” she asked. He shook his head. “What changed?” she urged.

“I saw you,” he replied. “I saw you and I realized that I like hanging out with you. I don’t wanna ruin that.”

A smile grew on Betty’s face, “Me too.” Betty stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. Shocked by the suddenness of her embrace, Jughead froze. But only for a moment before he returned the hug, wrapping his arms around her middle. 

Jughead has hugged a few of his friends before. Mostly just Archie and Sweet Pea on occasion. But this felt different. Jughead guessed because he hasn’t ever had a friendship like he does with Betty. They’ve only known each other for a short while, but there was this connection between them. She pulled back and smiled at him before returning to the trays. Jughead didn’t realize how much he enjoyed her hug until it was over.

“So I meant to ask you,” Betty said, grabbing his attention. “Was there any other places in the southside you could show me?”

Jughead smiled, “I can think of a few, yeah. Did you have anything in mind?”

Betty shrugged, “Maybe something more...full of scenery. On the northside we have Sweetwater River, but that’s about it.”

Jughead began to think of places in his head. He thought of Crystal Lake, which was right off Fox Forest. But Fox Forest wasn’t exactly safe, more so at night. Ghoulies spent a lot of time at the park - Fox Forest Park - that was on the other side of Fox Forest. As much as he wanted Betty to see the finer pieces of scenery on the southside, he couldn’t risk her safety. Then he thought of Pickens Park. It’s the single property on the southside that any northsider will willingly step on. Once a year, on Pickens Day, the whole town goes to Pickens Park to celebrate. Always with tons of security, but there nonetheless.

“How about Pickens Park?” he offered.

“Hm,” she thought, “I’ve been there on Pickens Day before. Although, I don’t mind going again”

Of course, he thought. Then he remembered that Pickens Day was always held during the day, due to the fear of southside at night.

“Have you ever been there at night?” he asked. 

A smile spread onto her face. “No, I haven’t. When?” He thought for a moment, “How about tomorrow night?” 

“Yeah, sounds perfect!” Betty replied, knowing her mom wasn’t likely to let her stay out too late. “Do you have your phone on you?” he asked. She nodded, pulling it out of her pocket, unlocking it, and handing it to him. He quickly put his number in, “I’m sending myself a message so I have your number. I’ll message you later to pick you up.”

He handed her the phone back with a smile. Betty took it and shoved it back into her pocket, “Thanks.” Jughead smiled and Betty returned to cleaning the trays.

 

The next day, Betty set herself on a mission to find Veronica. She had messaged her for a bit last night but hadn’t gotten around to asking what she really wanted to ask - if she could cover for her. 

Once lunchtime rolled around, she finally found Veronica sitting on the couch in the student lounge. “Hey, B!” her friend greeted when she saw Betty enter the room. Betty smiled, “Hey, V, how is everything?”

“Amazing! Archie and I went on our first official public date together!” she exclaimed proudly. “Oh my god, that’s awesome, V! What did you guys do? Where did you go?” Veronica smiled, “We went to Pop’s and grabbed some burgers and milkshakes, then we went to this pond near Riverdale High and fed some fish.”

“Aww, V, that sounds so sweet!” Betty gushed.

“How about you, B?” Veronica asked. “I know Midge has been a real pain lately.”

“I can handle Midge,” Betty replied, “But I was wondering if you could do me a favour.” Veronica nodded, “Of course, anything.”

Betty smiled down at her lap, “Well, Jughead invited me to go with him to Pickens Park tonight. My mom would never let me go, but I think she might be more accepting if I tell her I’m having a sleepover. And I avoid a curfew.”

Veronica nodded, “Of course! You can come to my house after you’re done, whatever time you want.” Betty smiled, “Thank you so much, V.”

They were silent until Veronica asked, “So...you and Jughead, huh?” Veronica raised her eyebrows in a suggestive look. Betty chuckled and shook her head, “No, it’s not like that between us. He’s just been showing me around the southside.”

“The southside? Is it safe?” Veronica asked.

Betty nodded, “Yea, I think so. Jughead wouldn’t bring me if it wasn’t.”

Veronica nodded, “Just message me every 4 hours or so, so I know you’re safe.” Betty smiled, “I will, thank you.”

 

 

“A sleepover?” Alice asked in a disapproving tone.

Betty nodded, “Yea, Veronica and I have a big test coming up and she thought it would be a good idea if I slept over, since we’ll likely be up late studying anyway.”

Alice eyed Betty suspiciously, “Alright, you can go. But I expect you to message me when you get to Veronica’s house. I expect you home at nine A.M. tomorrow morning with all your study notes.”

Betty nodded, “I will, thank you, mom.”

Alice only nodded and watched as Betty ran to her room to get ready.

 

Betty frowned as she surveyed her outfit options. Veronica helped her come up with some options but it was hard without much of a dress code.

Jughead: Hey! What time and where should I pick you up?

Betty quickly grabbed her phone off her bed, smiling at the text.

Betty: Pick me up at The Pembrooke at 8pm

Luckily, both Jughead and Betty didn’t work tonight, so Betty had more time to get ready. She glanced at the clock, it was an hour until 8pm.

Jughead: Awesome! See you soon.

“Is that him?” asked Veronica, who was seated on her bed, sorting through various clothing options. “Yea,” Betty replied, standing at the foot of her bed. “He’s gonna pick me up at seven.”

“Alright,” she replied, “Then we gotta be fast.” She plucked a dress from the pile. “Here,” said Veronica, tossing the dress at Betty, “I really think you’ll like this. It was a gift from my aunt, but it’s not my style. Try it on.”

“Isn’t a dress too fancy?” asked Betty as she caught the dress and walked to the walk-in closet to change.

Veronica scoffed, “Not if you pair it right.”

After a minute or two, Betty reappeared. Veronica clapped her hands in excitement, “Ah! It looks amazing, B! I think this is the one, what do you think?”

Betty walked over to the large mirror in the corner of Veronica’s room. Betty had on a baby blue casual ruffle hem belted wrap dress. Betty smiled at her reflection. “I love it,” she replied.

Veronica stood up and headed to her closet. She returned with a pair of all white, lace-up sneakers. “Pair them with these,” Veronica said, handing them to Betty. She took them and set them aside. “You’re sure about this?” asked Betty, referring to the outfit. Veronica nodded, “Positive. You can keep the dress too, by the way. I never wear it. It looks better on you.”

“Really? Oh, thank you, V!” she replied, taking another look in the mirror. She really did love it.

They moved on to picking some jewelry. They chose very simple and subtle ones. A thin silver bracelet that hung low on Betty’s wrist, along with two plain silver rings. The jewelry, unlike the clothes, was Betty’s that she brought from home. She settled on leaving her hair down in loose curls. Veronica then applied some light make-up to Betty’s face. Just some blush and mascara.

“Done!” Veronica announced, leaned back from Betty. “You’re ready!”

Looking in the mirror again, Betty smiled. “Thank you so much, V,” she turned to her friend, “I was hopeless without you.” Veronica swatted her hand, “Anytime.” Betty’s phone buzzed.

Jughead: Here.

“He’s here,” Betty said as she collected the shoes and her bag.

Veronica walked Betty to the lobby. They both stepped outside to find Jughead on the curb, leaning on a motorcycle. He looked up and smiled at them, “Hey.”

“A motorcycle?” Betty asked, a slight smirk on her lips.

Jughead nodded, patting the bike, “It’s my choice of transportation. It’s completely safe, promise.”

Veronica eyed the motorcycle - and Jughead - suspiciously, “I’m holding you to that.” Jughead held a helmet out to Betty. She took it and slipped it on over her head. Jughead straddled the bike and turned to the girls.

“Alright, be safe you too,” said Veronica. “Have fun on your not date,” she whispered in Betty’s ear. Betty rolled her eyes with a laugh before climbing onto the back of the motorcycle. No matter how much Betty argued, Veronica believed it to be a date. With one last smile, Veronica rushed back inside.

“You’re sure this is safe?” Betty asked nervously.

Jughead chuckled and reached back, grabbing her hands. He pulled them out in front of him and wrapped them around his waist, “If you hold on tight, yes.” She tightened her grasp more at that.

“All good?” he called behind his shoulder. “Yup,” she replied. Then he started the motorcycle and sped off.

Betty smiled at the feel of the wind flowing against her face and through her hair. It felt like freedom. And it was surprisingly more calming than she thought it would be. They sped through the streets of Riverdale. It was well past dark outside and the street lights offered a calming effect on her.

“Still ok?” he called back to her.

“More than!” she cheered.

He laughed and continued on their journey. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the cool wind on her face. She opened them when she felt the motorcycle slow down. She looked around and saw a giant sign that read Pickens Park. Jughead parked the motorcycle and cut the engine. Betty let go of her grip on Jughead and pulled her helmet off, Jughead doing the same. She smiled at the familiar park. “Oh my god! Wow!” she said as she gazed at the scene in front of her. Unlike on Pickens Day, the park in front of her was a sea of lights. Small bulb lights hung on strings across the field of grass. In the middle of it all stood the General Pickens statue.

Jughead had already gotten off the motorcycle when Betty pulled her focus away from the scene in front of her. She climbed off and placed her helmet on the motorcycle seat. She looked back at the lights and smiled before turning to Jughead and grinning.

“This is beautiful, Jug.”

He grinned at the nickname and her smile. “Wanna walk around?” he offered. She nodded eagerly and followed in step with him. She kept looking up at the lights above and smiling. The park was empty, apart from a kid with his mom on the other side. There were picnic tables around the field.

“Follow me,” Jughead said, gesturing with his hand.

He led her to a wooden gazebo that was further back into the park. It had stringed lights hanging all around it. It lit up like a star. Betty and Jughead leapt up the short stairs of the gazebo and gasped at the surrounding scene. 

“It’s so much more magical at night,” Betty exclaimed.

Jughead chuckled, “Yeah, I didn’t think you’ve been here at night before. I figured you had to see this.”

“How come they don’t show this on Pickens Day? Why does it end so early?”

“Likely because they run the risk of a display of anger from a southsider. I’ll admit, it’s dangerous in the southside at night. A few gang members are usually wandering around up to no good. Knowing there’s a tone of northsiders on the southside celebrating can cause a reaction out of some southsiders. So I can see why they’d avoid it.”

Betty nodded, smile dimming slightly. “Why is tonight different?” she asked.

Jughead gave a reassuring smile, sensing her fear, “Because it’s just us. And no one will mess with you while you’re with me, you have nothing to worry about.”

He noticed her smile fade. He could practically see the gears turning in her head. “Is it-” she looked up at him, “Is it because you hold authority with the Serpents?” He could hear the hesitation in her voice.

Shock overwhelmed his body when he realized that she knew. “Among other reasons. But mostly, yeah.” he replied and fell silent. “So you heard, huh?” he said. She nodded, “Yeah, I wanted to ask you about it but I guess I just kind of...got nervous.”

Jughead sighed, leaning against the railing of the gazebo, “My father is the leader of the Serpents. By default, I take on the role of authority with the Serpents. I’m sorry I never said anything earlier, it’s just that we had just started to get to know each other and I didn’t want to send you running for the hills. Also, any real close friend I’ve ever had was a Serpent and already knew where I stood with them. I’ve never had to explain it before.”

Betty shrugged, “No worries. I understand. I was just shocked to hear it.” She leaned on the railing beside Jughead. “I wouldn’t have run off, by the way. I don’t scare so easily.”

He chuckled, “Good to know, Betts.”

She smiled at his nickname for her. No one had ever called her that before. She liked it. She turned her attention back to the lights that surrounded them. Jughead took the opportunity to really look at her. He hasn’t seen her hair down that much. Occasionally at work she’d leave it down, but for a majority of the time it was up in a high ponytail. He decided that he liked her both ways, but it sure was nice down. He could see the soft curls of her blonde hair.

His eyes traveled down and that’s when he noticed her hands. Gone were the white bandages wrapped around her palms and in their place were neutral coloured band aids. His brows furrowed at the sight. He became genuinely concerned.

What Jughead didn’t know was that Betty had purposefully replaced those bandage wraps with neutral bandaids to limit the attention to them. For both Veronica and Jughead’s sakes. All of which was pointless because Jughead noticed anyway. But she didn’t know that.

He was interrupted when Betty turned her head to face him. His gaze immediately flew up to hers. “You okay?” he asked. She nodded, “Yeah, this is incredible. Thank you for bringing me tonight. I’m sure you must’ve had better things to do.”

Jughead shook his head with a laugh, “Not a chance.”

What he didn’t mention was that he actually was supposed to have a shift at the Twilight Drive-In but had called in last minute to cancel, claiming to be sick. A choice that didn’t please his boss. But after seeing the twinkle in her eye and the bright smile on her lips, he knew it was worth sacrificing his time for. 

“I could take a photo, if you’d like,” spoke a small voice.

Betty and Jughead both turned to see a younger boy standing at the bottom of the gazebo stairs. “Sorry,” he said, “I just thought I’d over to take a photo of you guys. It’s beautiful here at night, worth a photo.”

Betty turned to Jughead, “Is that okay?” Jughead nodded, “Sure, why not?”

Betty reached into her bag and grabbed her phone. She opened the camera and handed it to the boy. The boy stepped back to get a clearer picture of the gazebo and lights. Betty and Jughead both looked to each other and unspokenly tried to decide on a pose. It was unexpected. Betty wrapped her arm around his neck and Jughead wrapped his around her waist. They both turned to the boy and he took the photo. They broke free from their embrace and Jughead stepped towards the stairs. The boy jogged back over to them and handed Jughead the phone.

“Thank you,” Jughead said.

The boy shrugged, “No problem! Have a good night.” Jughead nodded his goodbye and the boy walked off into the night.

Jughead turned back to Betty and held her phone out to her. She took it, returning it to her bag and sat down in the middle of the gazebo. Jughead chuckled but joined her.

“I loved lights as a kid,” she said, looking around. “I was so scared of the dark. Well, not so much the dark, more of what was in the dark. Lights have a way of making you feel not so alone.”

Jughead smiled softly, “Very poetic. Seems like you’re a pretty good writer.”

Betty hid her blush with a shrug, “I’m more into journalism. Although I still appreciate the art of poetry very much. It’s just, investigating and finding answers and then writing about it...I fell in love with it.”

Jughead smiled, “I like journalism as well. I had my heart set on it for a long time and then I dabbled in novel writing and my whole world changed.”

“Do you want to become an author?” she asked. Jughead shrugged, “I mean, I’d like to but it’s not likely.” Betty frowned, “How come?”

Jughead chuckled nervously, “Many reasons, like the amount of money and schooling it would take to turn it into a real career. And the responsibilities I have and will continue to have.”

Betty sighed, “I think your biggest responsibility is to yourself - to do what you’re passionate about.”

“You’re a dreamer, Betts.” Jughead said with a small laugh.

Betty shrugged, “When I need to be.”

They stared at each other for a moment, smiling. Betty could feel the beat of her heart begin to speed up. She took notice of their knees that were close enough to be touching. They began to gravitate towards each other, as if a magnetic force was pulling them together. Both their smiles slowly began to fade as they continued to stare, the tension of the moment turning their expressions serious. Before she even knew it, Jughead was close enough to her that she could feel his breath.

Betty leaned forward and rested her forehead against Jughead’s. Her eyes fluttered closed. She felt his breath on her lips like a ghost, telling her they were millimeters apart. Then as sudden as a light going out, his presence was gone.

Drawn by confusion, she opened her eyes. Jughead was looking down at his lap, brows furrowed.

“We can’t,” he said, his eyes closing tighter. “We just can’t, I’m sorry.”

Without allowing her to say anymore, he stood up and walked to the railing of the gazebo. Betty felt her cheeks begin to burn and her chest become heavy. “W-Why?” she stuttered, lifting her head up in his direction. His back was facing her.

“We have a good thing going here,” he said, still not facing her. “Let’s not ruin it.” Betty felt her mind start to race with thoughts. “Why would it ruin anything?” she asked, a whimper escaping her. She hadn’t even noticed tears were starting to build up in her eyes.

Overcome by his worry, Jughead grew frustrated. He turned to face her, pausing at the sight of her tear filled eyes. “Look, Betty, I want to be your friend - I really do. But nothing more. We can only ever be friends.”

Bettys stood, watching him closely before taking a deep breath. “I guess I was reading the situation wrong, and for that I’m sorry.” 

No, Jughead thought, you weren’t. Little to Betty’s knowledge, Jughead had wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them and connect their lips. But he couldn’t help but wonder about all the dangers doing so would bring. His authority with the Serpents would be questioned. Being with a northsider could mean an act of war to some southsiders - possibly to some northsiders too. More than that, it threatened her safety. He knew that he wasn’t capable of protecting her from the damage that would unravel from a choice like this.

“I care about you, Betty,” he said. She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I do,” he urged. “Which is why I need you to trust me when I say that you don’t want this.”

Betty wrapped her arms around herself as a sob shook her body. “Betty-” Jughead began, interrupted by Betty holding her hand up, silencing him. She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. Tears were slipping down her cheeks now.

“I’m such an idiot,” she sobbed with a sarcastic laugh.

She opened her eyes and bent down to grab her bag. She stood back up and turned, walking down the gazebo stairs and walking towards the sidewalk. Her hands itched to clench themselves but were halted by the band aids that covered her palms.She heard Jughead’s frantic footsteps following after her.

“Betty!” he called after her. “Betty, please wait!”

She made no effort to slow down. He sped up his pace and soon caught up to her, grasping his hand on her arm gently. “Betty, please just stop for a second!” She stopped, glaring at him. He paused, taking a breath. “Look, I want this, I do,” he said. “But there are just...so many reasons why we can’t. It’s dangerous.”

“No, it’s fine, you’re right.” she said. “We moved too fast. We’ve only known each other for a few months. Forget anything happened.” She pushed past him, continuing towards the sidewalk.

“Where are you going?!” he asked, pulling her back to him. She ripped her arm out of his grasp and replied, “To Veronica’s.” He sighed, running a hand across his face, “It’s not safe to walk there at night, let me give you a ride.”

“No!” she yelled, turning back around.

“Betty,” he said sternly, “Either we ride there or I will walk both you and the motorcycle there.” She stopped in her tracks. She turned and stared at him for a moment before sighing and walking back towards him. “Fine,” she mumbled, pushing past him towards the motorcycle. 

He followed her until they reached his bike. They both put their helmets on, straddling the motorcycle. Not having much of a choice, Betty wrapped her arms around his waist and they sped off towards the northside.

Once they reached Veronica’s place, Betty got off the motorcycle and took off her helmet. She handed it to Jughead and wordlessly walked away. Jughead stood waiting until she was completely inside the building before securing her helmet and starting the motorcycle up again. With one final look at The Pembrooke, he sped off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made Midge take on the role as head cheerleader. Her personality is similar to Cheryl's in season 1.  
> In this chapter, Betty and Jughead dealt with learning some conflicting things about each other. They go through waves of emotions when sorting out how to deal with it. I apologize if it felt confusing to some.  
> Also, to better understand the places Betty and Jughead visit on the Southside, I recommend you google "map of Riverdale." There's a picture of a map of the Southside that is an actual screenshot from an episode of Riverdale. I'll be following that when talking about directions.  
> Once again, thank you so much for all the lovely comments, it truly makes me proud and excited to be writing again.


End file.
